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Definition of escape mechanism in English:

escape mechanism

noun

A mental process which enables a person to avoid acknowledging unpleasant or threatening aspects of reality.

‘some use drugs as an escape mechanism while incarcerated’

‘He said he had never been comfortable in his own skin and used drink as an escape mechanism to become someone he wasn't.’

‘Hope suddenly seems pragmatic and realistic, while despair can be seen a naïve escape mechanism, which is what it is.’

‘Although Jones's desire to ‘lose’ himself with Ella Mae is ostensibly a desire to use sex as a temporary escape mechanism, his yearning to change places with the child reveals his need to be nurtured and protected by the black matriarch.’

‘This raises questions about the relationship between the intensity of the escape mechanism and the level of stress faced by these participants.’

‘For instance, recent research has suggested that different people gamble for different reasons, with some gambling to gain something while others gamble as an escape mechanism.’